Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Bobsy - The End Of April

(Drive-In, 1999)

Wow, not bad! Singapore one-man-band Bobsy offers gentle acoustic pick ’n’ strum and appealing double-tracked vocals on this surprisingly moving, folksy lament for the end of something/anything. There’s a certain Byrdsian quality to its mournfulness that’s reminiscent of a tradition-minded McGuinn ballad, and it burrows deeper with each play. The similarly hushed, yearning B-side adds some glockenspiel (is it??) and maintains an admirable quality level, but it can’t reach the eyebrow-raising heights of the flip. Fair enough. Research indicates that this guy never released a follow-up, which is a shame, based on the impressive evidence heard here. Still, “The End of April,” even if it does end up a one-off burst of modest brilliance, is certainly a fine legacy and a finer listen. Check ’er out.

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